March update

Hello, friends, family, and supporters!

Can you believe it's already March even though the weather feels like April, but yesterday was February? Yeah, me either.

Student Ministry Update: This is Hallie, a Vietnamese student from our UTA ministry. Back in December, I had the privilege to go to New Orleans with 40 other FOCUS students from all of ministries to serve a neighborhood called Hollygrove. Hallie was one of the new people I met, and quickly she became my friend. She is so sweet, humble, and has let Jesus change her life. Below, you can read her personal testimony.

Last week, we had our Spring Pizza Theology on Race and Racial Reconciliation. This was such a powerful event. Many students shared their own unique experiences, and it was so humbling to hear. Hallie shared her experiences as a Vietnamese student living in America. She even compared her experience to how, as disciples, we are foreigners living a temporary land. We are in the world, but not of the world. A C.S. Lewis quote comes to mind when I think about what she shared:

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."

I love being a part of community that cares enough to listen to others and their experiences, especially in safe space. If you are interested in listening to it, it will posted here soon! Feel free to listen any of our media. 

We nearly packed out this lecture room for Pizza Theology. 

Good News:

1. I have been offered another year on staff! I am so incredibly thankful to serve in this ministry, and I am excited to that again. Please let me know if you would like to continue supporting me financially, prayerfully, have questions, or would like to meet up soon!

2. This is Sam, a girl from my core who decided to get baptized. It is so neat to see so many of our students choose to be baptized when we know the baptism isn't really about them, but about the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. These changes are the work of God.



3. Recently, a girl and I finished our 10 week bible study together. For the first time in a long time, she is letting God convict her to live like a disciple.

4. Our time of outreach, meaning the time we meet new people on campus, has been going so well. People have responding to friendship, and fun, and realizing that they can have the college experience at community college. So many people we meet are ready to transfer the second they get there because they haven't made any friends. However, we have met so many new students! These students get to know Jesus sometimes little by little, and sometimes in leaps in bounds. It's all due to His work.

5. We have invited several of our students to a week long, intensive leadership conference in beautiful Bellingham, WA. I actually went there 4 years ago when I was a student involved in FOCUS. I am so excited that the students that I help mentor at Collin get to go May!

Prayer Requests:

1. Please pray that students would continue to show up to outreach events and say yes to Jesus!
2. Pray for our student leader team, that they would feel renewed over Spring Break.
3. Please pray that God would continue to provide a financial support team for me in the coming year. I trust Him, and he already has this year. I firmly believe he hears our prayers, so I ask that you would join with me in prayer for the next year.

Let me know how I can be praying in your life! I love you all so much!

Shayla